Horace and Pete#Music

The series is set in a run-down bar called Horace and Pete's in Brooklyn, New York. The bar was owned by the same family since 1916 and was passed down through several generations, always with a Horace and a Pete in charge. The current owners are the 49-year-old Horace Wittel VIII and his 52-year-old cousin Pete. The bar is old-fashioned and bound by tradition, serving no mixed drinks, with the only beer they sell being Budweiser on tap.

For many years, the management has been watering down the drinks, and pricing is variable, depending on whether the customer is a regular or a hipster who is drinking there "ironically". While there is a narrative concerning the relationships between the members of the family and the future of the bar, there are many scenes which take place in the bar and do not advance the main plot.

• Horace Wittel VIII (Louis C.K.) is 49 years old and divorced. He is estranged from his son Horace Wittel IX, who refuses all contact with him, and has a frosty relationship with his daughter Alice. Formerly an accountant, he inherited the bar one year prior to the start of the series after the death of his abusive father, Horace Wittel VII. He carries on the tradition of the family bar but with little enthusiasm for the role. He is prone to bouts of depression, but nevertheless is quite successful at attracting women. He has good people skills and frequently becomes the peacemaker in conflict situations. However, he also has a callous streak.
• Pete Wittel (Steve Buscemi) is 52 years old and is co-owner of the bar. He was raised with Horace and Sylvia as their brother, but is their biological cousin; his biological father is Uncle Pete. As a teenager, he was handsome, athletic, and outgoing, but he was later crippled by a severe mental illness and institutionalized for several years. He is now dependent on an expensive drug called Probitol to function, and on the family bar for his livelihood. He is generally kind and concertedly respectful towards other people, especially women, but struggles with the limitations and consequences of his condition, making him sensitive to perceived criticism, especially where Horace is concerned, leading to frequent minor spats between the two.
• Sylvia Wittel (Edie Falco) is in her early fifties and is Horace's older sister. She was a rebellious and unhappy teenager, and is tough and assertive as an adult. She has a son, Franklin, who is at school, and a daughter, Brenda, who is emotional and protective of her, much to her irritation. She hates the bar and all the misery associated with it, and wants to shut it down and claim her share of the inheritance to help pay for her chemotherapy, as she has just been diagnosed with cancer. Despite this, she has a good relationship with Horace, who persuades her to become involved in the bar's management. She can also be startlingly blunt when she finds cause to criticize someone, to the point of cruelty.
• Leon (Steven Wright) is in his sixties and has been a regular at the bar for many years. A recovering alcoholic, he continues to visit the bar for companionship, drinking only apple juice. He speaks infrequently, is laconic and has a dry sense of humor. He is chivalrous and believes a man should never be rude to a woman regardless of the circumstances.
• Kurt (Kurt Metzger), a regular at the bar, is an opinionated loudmouth in his thirties. He has a nihilistic world view, and believes it would be good idea to elect Donald Trump in order to destroy the current political system. It is unclear what he does for a living or what his source of income is. He is crude and insensitive.
• Uncle Pete (Alan Alda) is about 80 years old and was the co-owner of the bar before handing over the reins to Pete after Horace VII's death. He continues to tend the bar and in effect runs it, bullying Horace and Pete and drawing his own indeterminate salary from the bar's takings. He is an acerbic, foul-mouthed bigot who insults everyone and is particularly abusive towards his family, but his rants are often a source of some entertainment to the bar's patrons. He reveals in the first episode that he is Pete's biological father (his mother is unknown). He is the only Wittel who treats Marsha as family and he sometimes shows other patrons, particularly women, a degree of warmth and respect, but is hostile towards anyone who challenges his bigoted views. Horace VIII's father Horace VII was Uncle Pete's first cousin.
• Marsha (Jessica Lange) is in her sixties and was Horace Wittel VII's last sexual partner before his death. Subsequently Uncle Pete has continued to give her a share of the bar's takings and give her free drinks. She is a chronic alcoholic and has been drinking since her early teens, relying on her sex appeal to attract men to support her habit. She is loud and often very rude, speaking her mind without social filters.

• Alice Wittel (Aidy Bryant) is Horace's daughter. She is 23 years old and is nearing the end of her law studies. Horace was absent from her life for most of her childhood, and she still bitterly resents him for causing the family to break up. Unlike her brother Horace Wittel IX, who refuses all contact, she meets with her father on several occasions, but rebuffs all his attempts to bond with her. She is emotionally cold; however, she is on friendly terms with her uncle Pete.
• Tricia (Maria Dizzia) is a pleasant young woman who has Tourette syndrome, causing her to involuntarily make offensive utterances. She befriended Pete during his stay at a psychiatric hospital. When she attempts to renew their friendship Pete initially doesn't want to see her, associating her with the worst period of his life, but he relents and they eventually become romantically involved.
• Nick (Nick DiPaolo) is 49 years old and is an assistant DA. He is not particularly enthusiastic about his job and sees no prospects for advancement. He is politically conservative and often argues with other bar patrons. He is a semi-regular at the bar and sometimes picks up women there for one night stands.
• Tom (Tom Noonan), a regular at the bar, is a lugubrious man in his 60s who is a failed musician and actor. He sometimes plays the piano.
• Ricardo (Craig muMs Grant), bar patron and police officer
• Melissa (Liza Treyger)
• Carl (Greer Barnes)
• Rhonda (Karen Pittman)
• Dom (Dov Davidoff)
• Mark (Mark Normand)
• Jimmy (Colin Quinn)
• Horace IX (Angus T. Jones)
• Horace VII (Burt Young)
• Young Horace VIII (Jack Gore)
• Mara (Amy Sedaris)
• Young Silvia (Sofia Hublitz)
• Eric (Conner O'Malley)
• Sarah (Laurie Metcalf)
• George (George Wallace)
• Mike (Michael Cyril Creighton)
• Rick (Rick Shapiro)
• Maggie (Nina Arianda)
• Harold (Reg E. Cathey)
• Rachel (Rebecca Hall)
• Dr. Evers (Colman Domingo)
• Margaret (Michelle Wolf)
• Young Hipsters (Zach Cherry, Julio Torres, Paul Laudiero, Spike Einbinder)
• Magician at the Bar (David Blaine)
• Leon’s Friend (Paul Simon)
• Bill de Blasio (himself)

File:Louis CK 2012 Shankbone.JPG made the show without making any public announcements.]]

C.K. said that the show was inspired by Mike Leigh's 1977 play, Abigail's Party, which was written and developed using Leigh's improvisation method. It was then made into a multi-camera TV play. Abigail's Party's story takes place during the course of a night, over drinks and dinner. It is one scene over two hours.{{cite news|last1=Stern|first1=Howard|title=Louis C.K. Explains His Concept for Horace and Pete|url=https://soundcloud.com/howardstern/louisck_horaceandpete|access-date=April 11, 2016|work=The Howard Stern Show|date=April 11, 2016|archive-date=November 16, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201116170719/https://soundcloud.com/howardstern/louisck_horaceandpete|url-status=live}} C.K. also credits playwright Annie Baker both in discussion about the show and in the credits,{{cite news|last1=Zinoman|first1=Jason|title=How 'Horace and Pete' Made the Network Suits Look Good|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2016/04/13/arts/television/how-horace-and-pete-made-the-network-suits-look-good.html|work=The New York Times|date=April 12, 2016|access-date=March 2, 2017|archive-date=November 16, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201116170746/https://www.nytimes.com/2016/04/13/arts/television/how-horace-and-pete-made-the-network-suits-look-good.html|url-status=live}} as he saw her play The Flick, and was influenced by her work there. She also helped him with the writing of the first few episodes.

The idea was a sitcom with no audience or laugh-track, multi-camera, shot from a stage-like perspective (i.e., from one angle). The focus would be, similar to Abigail's Party, centered on a family. Steve Buscemi came on board first, then Edie Falco and Jessica Lange. C.K. said that the cast will get a portion of the profits.

For the role of Pete Wittel, C.K. originally tried to cast Joe Pesci. In a conversation over the phone, Pesci declined the role, so C.K. went to his home to try to persuade him. After discussing the script, Pesci admitted that he liked it, yet still said no.{{cite news |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/arts-and-entertainment/wp/2016/04/12/joe-pescis-recent-advice-to-louis-c-k-stop-doing-stand-up-youre-not-funny/ |title=Joe Pesci's recent advice to Louis C.K.: Stop doing stand-up, you're not funny |last=Yahr |first=Emily |date=April 12, 2016 |newspaper=Washington Post |access-date=March 4, 2019 |archive-date=November 16, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201116170804/https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/arts-and-entertainment/wp/2016/04/12/joe-pescis-recent-advice-to-louis-c-k-stop-doing-stand-up-youre-not-funny/ |url-status=live }} C.K. had also offered the role to Jack Nicholson and Christopher Walken, before eventually considering and signing Alan Alda.{{cite web |url=https://www.avclub.com/jack-nicholson-and-joe-pesci-both-turned-down-louis-c-k-1798246471 |title=Jack Nicholson and Joe Pesci both turned down Louis C.K.'s Horace And Pete |last=Hughes |first=William |date=April 21, 2016 |website=The A.V. Club |access-date=March 4, 2019 |archive-date=November 16, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201116170727/https://news.avclub.com/jack-nicholson-and-joe-pesci-both-turned-down-louis-c-k-1798246471 |url-status=live }}{{cite news|last1=Stern|first1=Howard|title=Louis C.K. Wanted Joe Pesci To Be In Horace and Pete|url=https://soundcloud.com/howardstern/louisck_pesci|access-date=April 11, 2016|work=The Howard Stern Show|date=April 11, 2016|archive-date=November 16, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201116170713/https://soundcloud.com/howardstern/louisck_pesci|url-status=live}}{{cite web|last1=Anderman|first1=Maya|title=Louis C.K. on Lorne Michaels' 'Horace and Pete' Advice, How the Show Almost Starred Jack Nicholson|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/louis-ck-horace-pete-almost-887501|website=The Hollywood Reporter|access-date=April 26, 2016|date=April 26, 2016|archive-date=November 16, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201116170730/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/louis-ck-horace-pete-almost-887501|url-status=live}} C.K.'s character's name is a homage to the late comedian Harris Wittels, who opened for C.K. and was someone C.K. considered a talented comedian of note.{{cite news|last1=Gadino|first1=Dylan P.|title=Louis CK: Comedy legend in the making|url=http://www.laughspin.com/2008/10/01/louis-ckcomedy-legend-in-the-making/|access-date=April 2, 2016|work=Laughspin|date=October 1, 2008|url-status=usurped|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150514084258/http://www.laughspin.com/2008/10/01/louis-ckcomedy-legend-in-the-making/|archive-date=May 14, 2015|df=mdy-all}}{{cite web|last1=Schneider|first1=Michael|title='Horace and Pete': Louis C.K. Pal Dino Stamatopoulos Explains the Show's Unlikely Origins|url=https://www.indiewire.com/article/horace-and-pete-louis-ck-dino-stamatopoulos-starburns-origins|website=Indiewire|access-date=May 25, 2016|date=April 25, 2016|archive-date=November 16, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201116170747/https://www.indiewire.com/2016/04/horace-and-pete-louis-c-k-pal-dino-stamatopoulos-explains-the-shows-unlikely-origins-289240/|url-status=live}}

C.K. started writing the show in October 2015 and then as cast members came on board, he held rehearsals in January 2016. Sections of the show's scripts were kept intentionally blank with placeholders to insert current events, like the upcoming presidential election.

C.K. said that each episode cost half a million dollars to shoot.{{cite news|last1=Parker|first1=Ryan|title=Louis C.K. Says Web Series Horace and Pete Has Left Him "Millions of Dollars in Debt"|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/louis-ck-says-web-series-882833|access-date=April 11, 2016|work=The Hollywood Reporter|date=April 11, 2016|archive-date=November 16, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201116170752/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/louis-ck-says-web-series-882833|url-status=live}} The show was shot in a studio in New York City called NEP Penn Studios located in the Hotel Pennsylvania across from Madison Square Garden. They shot the show starting in early January 2016, with production lasting about five or six weeks. Using the look and feel of Abigail's Party, C.K. used a color-coded shot list that was created during rehearsals to enable live-switching between cameras.

The series had frequent references to current events during the barroom discussions. This was made possible by the short time between the production and release of the episodes (less than a week).{{cite news |last1=Poniewozik |first1=James |date=January 30, 2016 |title=Review: Louis C.K.'s 'Horace and Pete,' Mournful and Unshakable |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2016/01/31/arts/television/louis-ck-horace-and-pete-episode-1-review.html |url-status=live |access-date=January 31, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201116170750/https://www.nytimes.com/2016/01/31/arts/television/louis-ck-horace-and-pete-episode-1-review.html |archive-date=November 16, 2020}}{{cite news |last1=Lincoln |first1=Ross A. |date=January 30, 2016 |title=Louis C.K. Surprise Debuts 'Horace And Pete', New Online Series Co-Starring Steve Buscemi |work=Deadline Hollywood |url=https://deadline.com/2016/01/louis-c-k-unveils-horace-and-pete-online-series-costars-alan-alda-1201693498/ |url-status=live |access-date=January 30, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201116170751/https://deadline.com/2016/01/louis-c-k-unveils-horace-and-pete-online-series-costars-alan-alda-1201693498/ |archive-date=November 16, 2020}} A quick line-cut would enable a fast turnaround to distribution. There would be no ad breaks for commercials and no standards & practices that would restrict language. Also important to C.K., and why he did not want to release the show via a television network, was that he wanted the show to be secret and unexpected, where the audience had little to no information before viewing, which he said would have been impossible with a traditional TV show model.

The strategy was that C.K. would make the first four episodes and use the money people paid for those to fund the rest of the season. Due to lack of promotion, there was not enough money and he went into debt to fund the production of the show. After he finished production on the show, C.K. went on a promotional tour to promote the show and recoup some of the costs.{{cite news|last1=Stern|first1=Howard|title=Horace and Pete Put Louis C.K. Millions of Dollars In Debt|url=https://soundcloud.com/howardstern/louisck_debt|access-date=April 11, 2016|work=The Howard Stern Show|date=April 11, 2016|archive-date=November 16, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201116170714/https://soundcloud.com/howardstern/louisck_debt|url-status=live}} C.K. said that what he was going to be doing (i.e., producing shows of varying length, using a theater-based approach to storytelling, distributing the show himself) was going to be so extreme he did not want to have funding from other sources, like FX Networks, even though notable entertainment professionals, including Lorne Michaels, strongly discouraged C.K. from doing this.

File:Paul Simon at the 9-30 Club (b).jpg wrote the theme song and his music was used for the soundtrack.]]

The theme song was written and performed by Paul Simon.{{cite news|last1=Yakas|first1=Ben|title=Louis C.K. Releases Surprise New Dramatic Web Series Horace & Pete|url=http://gothamist.com/2016/01/30/louis_ck_releases_surprise_new_web.php|access-date=January 30, 2016|work=Gothamist|date=January 30, 2016|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160131093700/http://gothamist.com/2016/01/30/louis_ck_releases_surprise_new_web.php|archive-date=January 31, 2016|df=mdy-all}} C.K. asked Simon to write the theme song via email, let Simon read all 10 scripts, and then the two went into the studio for a day to work on the song.{{cite news|last1=Stern|first1=Howard|title=How Paul Simon Wrote The Horace and Pete Theme Song|url=https://soundcloud.com/howardstern/louisck_paulsimon|access-date=April 11, 2016|work=The Howard Stern Show|date=April 11, 2016|archive-date=November 16, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201116170755/https://soundcloud.com/howardstern/louisck_paulsimon|url-status=live}} The song was subsequently included on the deluxe edition of Simon's 2016 album, Stranger to Stranger.{{cite web|title=Stranger to Stranger (Deluxe Edition) by Paul Simon|url=https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/stranger-to-stranger-deluxe/id1100491700|website=iTunes|publisher=(Apple Inc.)|access-date=June 20, 2016|date=June 3, 2016|archive-date=November 16, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201116170728/https://music.apple.com/us/album/stranger-to-stranger-deluxe/1440936635|url-status=dead}} Simon makes a brief appearance as a customer in a flashback scene in episode 10.{{cite web|last1=Sepinwall|first1=Alan|title=Review: 'Horace and Pete' concludes as one of the very best dramas you'll see|url=http://www.hitfix.com/whats-alan-watching/review-horace-and-pete-concludes-as-one-of-the-very-best-dramas-youll-see|website=HitFix|access-date=April 19, 2016|date=April 4, 2016}} "America" by Simon & Garfunkel, and Dion DiMucci and Paul Simon's "New York Is My Home" are featured in different episodes of the show.{{cite web|last1=Murthi|first1=Vikram|title=No one can escape the past on the devastating Horace And Pete finale|url=https://www.avclub.com/no-one-can-escape-the-past-on-the-devastating-horace-an-1798187238|website=The A.V. Club|access-date=May 26, 2016|date=April 2, 2016|quote=She plays “America” by Simon & Garfunkel on the jukebox and walks out the doors|archive-date=November 16, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201116170727/https://tv.avclub.com/no-one-can-escape-the-past-on-the-devastating-horace-an-1798187238|url-status=live}}{{cite web|last1=Murthi|first1=Vikram|title=Adapt or die (or stay the same) on a great Horace And Pete|url=https://www.avclub.com/adapt-or-die-or-stay-the-same-on-a-great-horace-and-p-1798186768|website=The A.V. Club|access-date=May 26, 2016|date=February 27, 2016|quote=Finally, the song that closes the episode is Dion and Paul Simon’s “New York Is My Home.”|archive-date=November 16, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201116170742/https://tv.avclub.com/adapt-or-die-or-stay-the-same-on-a-great-horace-and-p-1798186768|url-status=live}}

The first episode was released on January 30, 2016, with no press or previous mention. Subscribers to C.K.'s mailing list received an email notice of its availability. It is a continuation of the sell-through direct-to-consumer model that C.K. used successfully in prior releases of content.{{cite news|last1=Southall|first1=Ashley|title=An Internet Surprise From Louis C.K.: Barroom Drama Flecked With Dark Humor|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2016/01/31/arts/television/an-internet-surprise-from-louis-ck-barroom-drama-flecked-with-dark-humor.html|access-date=January 30, 2016|work=The New York Times|date=January 30, 2016|archive-date=November 16, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201116170732/https://www.nytimes.com/2016/01/31/arts/television/an-internet-surprise-from-louis-ck-barroom-drama-flecked-with-dark-humor.html|url-status=live}}

C.K. explained that the direct-to-consumer, sell-through model of pricing the pilot at $5 would allow him to produce following episodes.{{cite news|last1=Wallenstein|first1=Andrew|title=Louis C.K. to Release More 'Horace & Pete' Saturday, Drops Prices|url=https://variety.com/2016/digital/news/louis-c-k-releases-more-horace-pete-drops-prices-1201697525/|access-date=February 4, 2016|work=Variety|date=February 4, 2016|archive-date=November 16, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201116170756/https://variety.com/2016/digital/news/louis-c-k-releases-more-horace-pete-drops-prices-1201697525/|url-status=live}} On his website, he discussed the challenges of creating, shooting, and releasing a multi-camera TV show and addressed the pricing, revealing a tiered cheaper price for the remaining episodes of the show: $5 for the first episode, $2 for the next, and then $3 for the rest of the episodes.{{cite news|last1=C.K.|first1=Louis|title=About Horace and Pete|url=https://louisck.net/news/about-horace-and-pete|access-date=February 5, 2016|work=LouisCK.net|date=February 4, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160205163047/https://louisck.net/news/about-horace-and-pete|archive-date=February 5, 2016|url-status=dead}} The show has a very short production-release model, as episode 2 was being shot the week following the pilot, and was released a week after the first episode was made public, with following episodes to come.{{cite news|last1=Egner|first1=Jeremy|title=Louis C.K. Explains 'Horace and Pete'|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2016/02/05/arts/television/louis-ck-explains-horace-and-pete.html|access-date=February 5, 2016|work=The New York Times|date=February 4, 2016|archive-date=November 16, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201116170734/https://www.nytimes.com/2016/02/05/arts/television/louis-ck-explains-horace-and-pete.html|url-status=live}}{{cite news|last1=Stanhope|first1=Kate|title=Louis C.K. Answers Burning Questions About Surprise New Series 'Horace and Pete'|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/louis-ck-answers-burning-questions-862187|access-date=February 5, 2016|work=The Hollywood Reporter|date=February 4, 2016|archive-date=November 16, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201116170745/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/louis-ck-answers-burning-questions-862187|url-status=live}}

All of the ten episodes were edited by C.K.'s former Louie assistant editor Gina Sansom{{cite web|last1=Calvario|first1=Liz|title='Horace and Pete': Why Louis C.K. is 'Very, Very Sad' the Series is Ending|url=https://www.indiewire.com/article/horace-and-pete-cancelled-louis-ck-series-ending-20160416|website=Indiewire|access-date=May 26, 2016|date=April 16, 2016|archive-date=November 16, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201116170742/https://www.indiewire.com/2016/04/horace-and-pete-why-louis-c-k-is-very-very-sad-the-series-is-ending-289867/|url-status=live}} and had no predetermined running time, ranging in length from 30 minutes to 67 minutes. The closing credits for episode 5 include the notice: End of Act 1.{{cite web|first1=Alan|last1=Sepinwall|url=http://www.hitfix.com/whats-alan-watching/review-horace-and-pete-says-goodbye-to-a-regular-and-to-act-1-of-the-story|title=Review: 'Horace and Pete' says goodbye to a regular, and to 'Act 1' of the story|work=HitFix|date=February 29, 2016|access-date=March 3, 2016|archive-date=November 16, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201116170718/https://uproxx.com/entertainment/|url-status=live}} At the close of episode 10, C.K. announces "That's a wrap on Horace and Pete" while the cast applaud in a kind of curtain call. Shortly after the final episode of season one was released, C.K. revealed that guest actress Amy Sedaris, a late casting decision, had developed her own character and improvised all her dialogue.{{cite web|last1=Sepinwall|first1=Alan|url=http://www.hitfix.com/whats-alan-watching/how-amy-sedaris-made-the-horace-and-pete-finale-even-better|title=How Amy Sedaris Made The 'Horace And Pete' Finale Even Better|work=HitFix|date=April 4, 2016|access-date=April 5, 2016|archive-date=November 16, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201116170732/https://uproxx.com/entertainment/|url-status=live}}

Horace and Pete{{'}}s production, marketing, and distribution model sparked much debate over the strategic, financial, creative options available to content creators.{{cite news|last1=Sims|first1=David|title=The Show That Left Louis C.K. With Millions in Debt|url=https://www.theatlantic.com/entertainment/archive/2016/04/horace-and-pete-louis-ck-profits/478077/|access-date=April 14, 2016|work=The Atlantic|date=April 13, 2016|archive-date=November 16, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201116170731/https://www.theatlantic.com/entertainment/archive/2016/04/horace-and-pete-louis-ck-profits/478077/|url-status=live}} C.K.'s work was compared to Kanye West{{cite news|last1=Lester|first1=Paul|title=Do Louis CK and Kanye West belong in the pantheon of artistic hubris?|url=https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2016/apr/14/louis-ck-kanye-west-pantheon-artistic-hubris|access-date=April 14, 2016|work=The Guardian|date=April 14, 2016|archive-date=November 16, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201116170752/https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2016/apr/14/louis-ck-kanye-west-pantheon-artistic-hubris|url-status=live}} as both navigate funding singular artistic visions that focus on creative control and in C.K.'s case, distribution, funding, and publicity methods outside the typical television model.{{cite news|last1=Burke|first1=Kathleen|title=No, Louis C.K. isn't going broke|url=http://www.marketwatch.com/story/no-louis-ck-isnt-going-broke-2016-04-13|access-date=April 14, 2016|work=MarketWatch|date=April 13, 2016|archive-date=November 16, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201116170756/https://www.marketwatch.com/story/no-louis-ck-isnt-going-broke-2016-04-13|url-status=live}}

C.K., during an extensive discussion with fellow comic Marc Maron, said that he wanted to open source the process by which he created the show, transparently sharing as much information as possible so others might be able to adopt and learn from his experience.

At The New Yorker Festival, C.K. told Emily Nussbaum that he sold the show to Hulu.{{cite web|last1=Duca|first1=Lauren|url=https://www.vulture.com/2016/10/louis-ck-says-horace-and-pete-coming-to-hulu.html|title=Horace and Pete Is Coming to Hulu, Says Louis C.K., Who Didn't Lose Money on It|work=Vulture|date=October 8, 2016|access-date=December 4, 2016|archive-date=November 16, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201116170720/https://www.vulture.com/2016/10/louis-ck-says-horace-and-pete-coming-to-hulu.html|url-status=live}}

{{Episode table

|background= #3F3D31

|overall = 5

|title =

|director =

|writer =

|airdate = 20

|aux4 =

|aux4T = Length

|released = y

|episodes =

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber = 1

|Title = Episode 1

|DirectedBy = Louis C.K.

|WrittenBy = Louis C.K.

|OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2016|1|30}}

|Aux4 = 67 minutes

|ShortSummary = Horace and Pete have a petty argument before opening the bar. Regular customers Leon, Kurt, Nick and Marsha arrive and argue about politics and sport. Horace tries to ask Uncle Pete not to attend the afternoon's meeting with Sylvia and her lawyer over the future of the bar, fearing he will inflame the situation, but this only infuriates him. Horace has been trying to contact his daughter Alice all day when she unexpectedly visits. She rebuffs his attempts to connect with her, and declines his offer to let her stay at the upstairs apartment despite having accommodation problems. Pete has been acting strangely all day; he can no longer afford to take his expensive medication due to an insurance mix-up. He has a meltdown and scares away most of the customers. An accountant (Peter Benson) who was sent by Sylvia's lawyer asks some awkward questions about the bar's finances. Sylvia arrives with her lawyer (Stephen Wallem) and gives notice that she intends to sue the bar for her share of the inheritance and to sell it. Uncle Pete reveals that he is Pete's true father, but he gave him up to be raised by Horace's father. Amid the bickering, Pete unexpectedly becomes the voice of reason. Horace abruptly asks his girlfriend Rachel (Rebecca Hall) to move out.

|LineColor = 3F3D31

}}

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber = 2

|Title = Episode 2

|DirectedBy = Louis C.K.

|WrittenBy = Louis C.K.

|OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2016|2|6}}

|Aux4 = 51 minutes

|ShortSummary = Horace is awakened by Marsha, who flirts with him; it later becomes clear that this is Horace's strange sexual fantasy. Horace and Pete talk about the afterlife over breakfast. Marsha brings Dennis the tire store entrepreneur (Jack O'Connell) into the bar on a date. Sylvia tells Horace she has breast cancer, and reveals she wants to sell the bar to pay medical bills. Horace goes to lunch with Alice. They are starting to get on better until he explains that he kicked out Rachel so that she could move in. She again declines his offer. Horace goes upstairs and has another strange fantasy about Marsha. Meanwhile in the bar, Dennis is becoming frustrated with Marsha – he wants to take her out on the town, she just wants to sit in the bar and drink. He finally admits that he is married. Pete is visited by Tricia, a woman with Tourette syndrome he met while he was in a psychiatric hospital.

|LineColor = 3F3D31

}}

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber = 3

|Title = Episode 3

|DirectedBy = Louis C.K.

|WrittenBy = Louis C.K.

|OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2016|2|13}}

|Aux4 = 43 minutes

|ShortSummary = Horace's ex-wife Sarah (Laurie Metcalf), who is eleven years his senior, visits the bar. She confides in Horace, describing in vivid detail the events which led to her having an affair with her new husband's fit and active 84-year-old father. She is hoping that Horace, who cheated on her with her sister, will be able to relate to her situation. Horace tells her that her affair is certain to be discovered, that it will certainly cause a great deal of hurt and will certainly lead to the end of her marriage; however she will be unable to stop doing it.

|LineColor = 3F3D31

}}

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber = 4

|Title = Episode 4

|DirectedBy = Louis C.K.

|WrittenBy = Louis C.K.

|OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2016|2|20}}

|Aux4 = 30 minutes

|ShortSummary = Horace is depressed and taciturn; Uncle Pete suggests he needs some casual sex. Horace makes a booty call to Maggie (Nina Arianda), a former sexual partner who used to work at the bar. Since they last met, she impulsively married a pilot, who later died suddenly. Maggie starts to make out with Horace, but he is so depressed that she no longer wants to have sex with him. Pete and Uncle Pete talk about Horace and Maggie; Pete says Maggie liked him for his cunnilingus skills. Uncle Pete is disgusted – he strongly believes that a man should not take a subservient role during sex. Pete and Uncle Pete have a discussion about sex and love.

|LineColor = 3F3D31

}}

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber = 5

|Title = Episode 5

|DirectedBy = Louis C.K.

|WrittenBy = Louis C.K.

|OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2016|2|27}}

|Aux4 = 33 minutes

|ShortSummary = The family hold a wake in the bar for Uncle Pete, who had recently committed suicide. Marsha talks about her early life; she has been a heavy drinker since the age of 13, and was eventually "adopted" by Horace senior. The family are no longer willing to support her and she leaves the bar. Sylvia's illness has resulted in tensions between her and her daughter Brenda; when Brenda tries to support her Sylvia snaps and orders her to leave. Pete begs Horace and Sylvia not to sell the bar; he is dependent on the bar for his livelihood. However, Sylvia is intent on selling the bar to pay for her cancer treatment. Horace suggests as a compromise that Sylvia become involved in managing the bar as a co-owner.

|LineColor = 3F3D31

}}

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber = 6

|Title = Episode 6

|DirectedBy = Louis C.K.

|WrittenBy = Louis C.K.

|OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2016|3|5}}

|Aux4 = 37 minutes

|ShortSummary = Pete goes on a date with Jenny (Hannah Dunne), a woman he made contact with on a dating website. She turns out to be much younger than she claimed in her profile. She explains that she prefers older men, but not the kind of older men who prefer younger women. The date starts awkwardly due to Pete's discomfort at dating a much younger woman, but they warm to each other and begin a romantic relationship. Jenny comes to have dinner at the apartment and meets Horace and Sylvia (it is apparent that Sylvia has agreed to take a role in managing the bar and moved into the apartment). Sylvia and Horace cruelly sabotage their relationship by barraging Jenny with Pete's flaws, including his mental illness. Jenny berates Sylvia and Horace and walks out.

|LineColor = 3F3D31

}}

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber = 7

|Title = Episode 7

|DirectedBy = Louis C.K.

|WrittenBy = Louis C.K.

|OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2016|3|12}}

|Aux4 = 50 minutes

|ShortSummary = Pete has a discussion with Ricardo Vonn, a childhood friend who is now a NYPD officer detailed to guard the mayor. Pete wants help to have the bar declared a landmark by the Mayor's office, so that Sylvia has more difficulty selling it. Horace's daughter Alice visits the bar with her boyfriend Eric (Conner O'Malley); awkward conversation ensues. Horace meets a woman named Rhonda (Karen Pittman) at the bar. She spends the night with him. The next morning, Rhonda suggests (but never confirms) that she might be a trans woman. Horace isn't sure if she is joking, but is forced to consider his own attitudes towards transgender people. During the conversation Horace tells Rhonda that his two children were born at about the same time, one to his wife Sarah and the other to her younger sister Rosemary. Sylvia gets good news regarding test results related to her cancer treatment.

|LineColor = 3F3D31

}}

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber = 8

|Title = Episode 8

|DirectedBy = Louis C.K.

|WrittenBy = Louis C.K.

|OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2016|3|19}}

|Aux4 = 35 minutes

|ShortSummary = Sylvia, Horace and their overnight guests (Harold (Reg E. Cathey) and Rhonda, respectively) are awkwardly introduced to each other in the morning. Horace and Pete visit Pete's doctor (Colman Domingo), who tells them that Pete's medication is being discontinued and he will have to be readmitted to the hospital in a month. Pete is devastated. Pete explains to Horace how terrible his life is when he is off his medication and hallucinating. Tricia comes to visit Pete and offers him support when he talks about his fears of going off the medicine and his thoughts of suicide.

|LineColor = 3F3D31

}}

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber = 9

|Title = Episode 9

|DirectedBy = Louis C.K.

|WrittenBy = Louis C.K.

|OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2016|3|26}}

|Aux4 = 36 minutes

|ShortSummary = Leon asks Horace about Pete, and Horace says that he has been missing for a week. Later, Horace gets a disturbing phone call and visits Tricia in the hospital. She has been severely beaten by Pete, who Horace says has no previous history of violence. She had attempted to wean him off his medication, naively believing that their mutual love would see them through. Back at the bar, Horace is very upset about Pete's disappearance and rants at Leon; when Kurt attempts to joke about it Horace physically attacks him. Mayor Bill de Blasio (played by himself) pays an unexpected visit to the bar. Horace retires to Pete's room and weeps. An imaginary conversation takes place in the bar between Pete and Uncle Pete; this suggests that Pete is still alive somewhere, and in his head he is trying to work through unresolved issues with his biological father.

|LineColor = 3F3D31

}}

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber = 10

|Title = Episode 10

|DirectedBy = Louis C.K.

|WrittenBy = {{StoryTeleplay|s=Louis C.K. & Vernon Chatman|t=Louis C.K.}}

|OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2016|4|2}}

|Aux4 = 54 minutes

|ShortSummary = The first half of the episode is set in 1976. Horace senior (Louis C.K.) is abusive and controlling towards his wife Marianne (Edie Falco) and children. In the bar, current events such as Jimmy Carter's candidacy for the Presidency are discussed. Marianne finally walks out on her husband after years of abuse taking Sylvia (Sofia Hublitz) and Horace (Jack Gore), but leaving Pete (Nolan Lyons). The second half of the episode is set in the present. Ricardo informs Horace and Sylvia that the police will call off the search for Pete because he is almost certainly dead. Sylvia announces that she intends to leave the bar and live with Harold, and challenges Horace to make a decision about his own future. An eccentric and extraverted woman named Mara (Amy Sedaris) lifts Horace's mood when she interviews for a job. Horace tells Sylvia he knows what he wants to do with his life now. Pete returns to the bar and picks up a knife. Sylvia screams as Pete kills Horace. As Sylvia prepares to leave with Harold, Horace's son, Horace IX (Angus T. Jones) comes to the bar and asks about his father. Sylvia says there was nothing distinctive about Horace, he was "just some guy", then breaks down in tears.

|LineColor = 3F3D31

}}

}}

Critics have been generally positive towards Horace and Pete, with a consensus and praise that the show feels like a filmed stage play.{{cite news|last1=Sepinwall|first1=Alan|title=Review: Louis C.K. goes back to TV's first golden age with 'Horace and Pete'|url=http://www.hitfix.com/whats-alan-watching/review-louis-ck-goes-back-to-tvs-first-golden-age-with-horace-and-pete|access-date=February 1, 2016|work=HitFix|date=January 31, 2016|archive-date=November 16, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201116170739/https://uproxx.com/entertainment/|url-status=live}}{{cite magazine|last1=Crouch|first1=Ian|title="Horace and Pete" Is Louis C.K.'s Most Audacious Independent Creation Yet|url=https://www.newyorker.com/culture/culture-desk/horace-and-pete-is-louis-c-k-s-most-audacious-independent-creation-yet|access-date=February 1, 2016|magazine=The New Yorker|date=January 31, 2016|archive-date=November 16, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201116170746/https://www.newyorker.com/culture/culture-desk/horace-and-pete-is-louis-c-k-s-most-audacious-independent-creation-yet|url-status=live}} It was favorably compared to Playhouse 90, with critic Matt Zoller Seitz from Vulture calling it "aggressively classical."{{cite news|last1=Fienberg|first1=Daniel|title=Critic's Notebook: Louis C.K. Releases 'Horace and Pete' — Is It Good and What Does It Mean?|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/fien-print/critics-notebook-louis-ck-releases-861445|access-date=February 3, 2016|work=The Hollywood Reporter|date=February 2, 2016|archive-date=November 16, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201116170743/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/fien-print/critics-notebook-louis-ck-releases-861445|url-status=live}}{{cite news|last1=Seitz|first1=Matt Zoller|title=21st-Century TV Artist Louis C.K. Aims High With the Aggressively Classical, Mostly Good Horace and Pete|url=https://www.vulture.com/2016/02/louis-ck-horace-and-pete-is-mostly-good.html|access-date=February 10, 2016|work=Vulture|date=February 10, 2016|archive-date=November 16, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201116170739/https://www.vulture.com/2016/02/louis-ck-horace-and-pete-is-mostly-good.html|url-status=live}} The show has been described as being filmed live, with a realism that reflects technical imperfections that add to subtle moments by a cast of veteran actors.{{cite news|last1=Cooper|first1=Leonie|title=7 Reasons You Need To Watch Louis CK's New Series 'Horace & Pete'|url=https://www.nme.com/blogs/nme-blogs/7-reasons-you-need-to-watch-louis-ck-s-new-series-horace-pete|access-date=February 5, 2016|work=NME|date=February 5, 2016}} James Poniewozik of The New York Times called it a "messy experiment that stays just on the good side of pretentiousness. But it's also probing, engaged and moving."{{cite news|last1=Poniewozik|first1=James|title=Review: Louis C.K.'s 'Horace and Pete,' Mournful and Unshakable|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2016/01/31/arts/television/louis-ck-horace-and-pete-episode-1-review.html|access-date=August 1, 2016|work=The New York Times|date=January 30, 2016|archive-date=November 16, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201116170751/https://www.nytimes.com/2016/01/31/arts/television/louis-ck-horace-and-pete-episode-1-review.html|url-status=live}}

Entertainment Weekly's Ray Rahman said of the performances, "Alda is magnetic as he descends into sadness, while Falco injects Horace and Pete with tissue-worthy emotion. Buscemi is masterfully Buscemi-ian, and C.K. has only gotten better at making shame-filled frowny faces."{{cite magazine|last1=Rahman|first1=Ray|title=Horace and Pete: EW Review|url=https://www.ew.com/article/2016/02/01/horace-and-pete-review|magazine=Entertainment Weekly|access-date=August 1, 2016|date=February 1, 2016|archive-date=November 16, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201116170753/https://ew.com/article/2016/02/01/horace-and-pete-review/|url-status=live}} Alan Sepinwall from HitFix declared Laurie Metcalf's performance the "year's best".{{cite web|last1=Sepinwall|first1=Alan|title=Laurie Metcalf just gave the year's best performance so far on 'Horace and Pete|url=http://www.hitfix.com/whats-alan-watching/laurie-metcalf-just-gave-the-years-best-performance-so-far-on-horace-and-pete#yesp3qcBr8vBHuGB.99|website=HitFix|access-date=August 1, 2016|date=February 15, 2016|archive-date=November 16, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201116170748/https://uproxx.com/entertainment/#yesp3qcBr8vBHuGB.99|url-status=live}}

Filmmaker Stephen Cone gave significant praise to the series in terms of Louis C.K.'s hybridization of film, TV, and theater, comparing him to French film director Alain Resnais and stating: "Leave it to Louis C.K. to save cinema – whatever that means – with a goddamn web series."{{cite web|last1=Cone|first1=Stephen|title=Horace and Pete, or How Louis CK Saved Cinema with a Goddamn Web Series|url=http://thetalkhouse.com/film/talks/horace-and-pete-or-how-louis-ck-saved-cinema-with-a-goddamn-web-series/|website=The Talkhouse Film|publisher=The Talkhouse, Inc.|access-date=February 25, 2016|date=February 22, 2016}} Seitz focused on the show's unique use of silence, in part a noted homage to a quote by recently deceased Garry Shandling on how there is value and meaning to be had in silence.

Review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes sampled 23 reviewers and judged 96% of the reviews to be positive. With a mean score of 8.7/10, the site's consensus states, "Horace and Pete creator Louis C.K. uses his signature blend of awkward humor – and brilliant performances from a top-notch cast – to pull off an engagingly ambitious experiment in TV tragicomedy."{{cite web|title=Horace and Pete: Season 1 (2016)|url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/tv/horace-and-pete/s01/|publisher=Rotten Tomatoes|access-date=May 25, 2016|archive-date=November 16, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201116170752/https://www.rottentomatoes.com/tv/horace-and-pete/s01|url-status=live}} On Metacritic the series has a score of 78 out of 100, based on 12 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews".{{cite web|title=Horace and Pete: Season 1|url=https://www.metacritic.com/tv/horace-and-pete|publisher=Metacritic|access-date=August 1, 2016|archive-date=November 16, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201116170748/https://www.metacritic.com/tv/horace-and-pete|url-status=live}}

In 2016, Louis C.K. entered the series in the drama category for the 68th Primetime Emmy Awards. Lead actors C.K. and Steve Buscemi, supporting actors Alan Alda, Steven Wright, Kurt Metzger, Jessica Lange and Edie Falco, and guest stars Laurie Metcalf and Aidy Bryant were reportedly submitted for nomination by C.K.{{cite web|last1=Rose|first1=Lacey|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/race/louis-ck-submitting-horace-pete-879152|title=Louis C.K. Submitting 'Horace and Pete' in Emmy Drama Race (Exclusive)|work=The Hollywood Reporter|date=March 29, 2016|access-date=March 29, 2016|archive-date=November 16, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201116170750/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/race/louis-ck-submitting-horace-pete-879152|url-status=live}} Nominations were announced in July 2016 and the series received two nominations: Laurie Metcalf for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series and Gina Sansom for Outstanding Multi-Camera Picture Editing for a Comedy Series.{{cite web|url=https://variety.com/2016/tv/awards/2016-emmys-nominees-list-drama-comedy-acting-nomination-1201814021/|title=Emmy Nominations 2016: Full List of Nominees|work=Variety|first=Laura|last=Prudom|date=July 14, 2016|access-date=July 14, 2016|archive-date=July 15, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160715150837/http://variety.com/2016/tv/awards/2016-emmys-nominees-list-drama-comedy-acting-nomination-1201814021/|url-status=live}}

Horace and Pete won the Peabody Award in 2016; the original announcement began: "Horace and Pete is a true original, a melding of contemporary politics and serialized storytelling with a throwback approach to in-studio drama harkening back to 1950s television."{{cite web |url=http://www.peabodyawards.com/award-profile/horace-and-pete |title=The Peabody Awards - Horace and Pete |publisher=Peabody Awards |access-date=November 24, 2020}}

{{Reflist}}

• {{Official website|https://louisck.com/pages/horace-and-pete}}
• {{IMDb title|5425186}}

{{Louis C.K.}}

Category:2016 web series debuts

Category:American comedy web series

Category:American drama web series

Category:American English-language television shows

Category:Fictional drinking establishments

Category:Fiction about mental health

Category:Peabody Award–winning television programs

Category:Television shows about suicide

Category:Television series created by Louis C.K.